I don't BABY my watches, but I don't work under the hood of a car with my Breitling on either.

A mineral crystal REALLY wouldn't bother me that much...

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andremaSenior Associate

Posts : 4263Join date : 2009-07-08Age : 105Location : CT

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:39 am

I am the total 180 of your take.

I would rather have a Saphire crystal every day of the week prior to buying one with a mineral crystal. It would actually stop me from buying a watch. If it was a beater, then it is a different story...but a nice timepiece, nope!

____________________________________M A R K

mericharSenior Associate

Posts : 2334Join date : 2009-08-23Location : Northern Oregon

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:56 am

I prefer Sapphire as well, more of a sign to me that the manufacturer did'nt cut the obvious corners. Its interesting though that many sport wood for old Rolexs or current Sinns with plastic (acrylic) crystals.

PoliMalakaSenior Associate

Posts : 1985Join date : 2009-06-15Age : 42Location : Tek-shsish

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:34 am

I like the hardlex on my Seikos for every day. Bang the $heet out of them.

The watches i have with sapphire crystals I worry more about the steel getting boogered.

I don't think the type of crystal should be a deal breaker in a decisionto get a watch. Whether it be sapphire, or mineral, the overall watchitself is what probably matters most imho. For the most part it wouldprobably be hard to tell what crytsal was actually on a watch too.Plus if they are using other crystals such as acrylic crystals in somehigher end watches like Mark is saying, then that says alot as well.Basically if we like a watch, we shouldn't let the type of crystal getin the way !

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GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:32 am

the only crystal i ever shattered was mineral and ive scatched a ton of them, sapphire all the way! my old rolex gmt master had an acrylic and it would scratch but a couple minutes on the buffing wheel and it was like new, think you could do it up to about 10 times and then it would need to be replaced as it thinned out!

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:42 am

Mineral Crystal - enough said.

AnomalySenior Associate

Posts : 7125Join date : 2009-11-13Age : 52Location : Tampa, Florida

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:28 am

Docrwm wrote:

Mineral Crystal - enough said.

LOL!

GOOD ONE DOC!

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GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:32 am

I prefer a sapphire, but a mineral will be OK for me. I have put scratches in both and they polish out if it's not too bad.BJ

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:00 pm

im left handed and still wear my watch on my left hand and working in the industrial/ag supply business there isnt alot of times that im out of the office anymore but when i do have to help my guys im always up to my wrist in bolts and nuts or pulling stuff out of bolt bins that i scratch up mineral like its butter, even seiko's stuff i would love to upgrade to sapphire. need to learn to take my watch of when working in the warehouse or buy a cheap quartz with sappphire and just leave it in my desk for these times! good idea trevor, problem solved and a new watch....... maybe a mako!

Last edited by cali kid on Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

AnomalySenior Associate

Posts : 7125Join date : 2009-11-13Age : 52Location : Tampa, Florida

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:17 pm

cali kid wrote:

im left handed and still wear my watch on my left hand and working in the industrial/ag supply business there isnt alot of times that im out of the office anymore but when i do have to help my guyss im alway up to my wrist in bolt and nuts or pulling stuff out of bolt bins that i scratch up mineral like its butter, even seiko's stuff i would love to upgrade to sapphire. need to learn to take my watch of when working in the warehouse or buy a cheap quartz with a sappphire and just leave it in my desk for these times! good idea trevor, problem solved and a new watch....... maybe a mako!

SELF COUNSELING is the best!

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GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:58 pm

cali kid wrote:

im left handed and still wear my watch on my left hand and working in the industrial/ag supply business there isnt alot of times that im out of the office anymore but when i do have to help my guys im always up to my wrist in bolts and nuts or pulling stuff out of bolt bins that i scratch up mineral like its butter, even seiko's stuff i would love to upgrade to sapphire. need to learn to take my watch of when working in the warehouse or buy a cheap quartz with sappphire and just leave it in my desk for these times! good idea trevor, problem solved and a new watch....... maybe a mako!

I'm an office guy but I have a Victorinox V-7 Chrono in a plexiglass cube on my desk. It serves as both a desk clock and an alternative watch if I need a chrono and didn't wear one or I need a beater because I might be dealing with behavior problems from the kids I am working with that day. It has sapphire and looks brand new. The Swiss Army Chrono I put photos up of was a gift from my wife before we got married. I wore it on residency and my first faculty jobs. The scratches in the Mineral crystal are from just plain old daily wear.

barnbuilderSenior Associate

Posts : 1372Join date : 2010-06-26

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:16 pm

sapphire all the way but will buy mineral for a beater work watchI also prefer flat crystals over domed.

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:34 pm

Mineral is not a total deal-breaker for me if I find the watch entertaining enough, but I prefer sapphire by a long shot and I'd even rather have acrylic than mineral.

So: sometimes mineral is a deal-breaker for me but sapphire or acrylic is never a deal-breaker.

NorthwestguySenior Associate

Posts : 2612Join date : 2009-07-12Location : OREGON

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:01 pm

Sapphire is my preference although I do own 2 watches that have a mineral crystal and so far, no issues at all.

thianwongSenior Associate

Posts : 1440Join date : 2010-02-11

Subject: Not an issue for me... Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:48 pm

have/had both...top surfaced sapphire tends to cast more reflections though.....Interesting to note, that Omega, in refining its X-33 Gen2 model, after suggestions from their astronauts, did remove the top sapphire coating and left the underside coated!

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:51 pm

Mineral crystals are my least favorite and I rank them well below both arylic/hesalite and artificial sapphire, but yet I managed to collect quite a few watches with them , including what I'm wearing to work today.

ericf4Senior Associate

Posts : 1157Join date : 2009-06-18Location : CHicago Burbs

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:30 pm

i wont buy nor do i own mineral..

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:01 pm

ericf4 wrote:

i wont buy nor do i own mineral..

You still got that flame fusion thing dont you?

ericf4Senior Associate

Posts : 1157Join date : 2009-06-18Location : CHicago Burbs

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:15 pm

nope, i dont own any invicta with that....my SAN is sapphire, before they cheaped out

Under coated underneath only. It can be scratched on the outside and then after that what good is sapphire.

ericf4Senior Associate

Posts : 1157Join date : 2009-06-18Location : CHicago Burbs

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:58 pm

i must admit though that my Sinn U2 i believe has coating on both sides and damn if it doesnt look like there is no glass when you look at it during the day..

AnomalySenior Associate

Posts : 7125Join date : 2009-11-13Age : 52Location : Tampa, Florida

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:00 pm

ericf4 wrote:

i must admit though that my Sinn U2 i believe has coating on both sides and damn if it doesnt look like there is no glass when you look at it during the day..

Same with the Avenger Seawolf...

...so far no outside nicks.

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GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:05 pm

Not a deal breaker, but I'd prefer sapphire. I think I'm more likely to scratch than bang it hard enough to break it. AR on the inside, for the same reason resistance to scratching.

GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:13 pm

I like under-coated sapphire but a top anti-reflective coated sapphire would be almost as close to a deal-breaker for me as mineral crystal.

Occasional reflections don't bug me near as much as scratches or permanent rub spots.

AnomalySenior Associate

Posts : 7125Join date : 2009-11-13Age : 52Location : Tampa, Florida

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:17 pm

AlbertaTime wrote:

I like under-coated sapphire but a top anti-reflective coated sapphire would be almost as close to a deal-breaker for me as mineral crystal.

Occasional reflections don't bug me near as much as scratches or permanent rub spots.

Exactly!

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GuestGuest

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:47 pm

I'm with Ron, whats the use of sapphire if the AR is going to scratch up and smudge like crazy, put it under and thats good enough for me! So i might have to turn my wrist a few degrees one way or the other once in awhile to see the time!!

AtomicTomSenior Consigliere

Posts : 12001Join date : 2009-08-25Age : 45Location : New Jersey

Subject: Re: Sapphire vs Mineral Crystal Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:20 pm

I agree with everyone on this ! Good to have AR coating, but shouldprobably only be underneath, so it doesn't get scratched in any way !